Sussexes Focus on Advocacy Amidst Ongoing Tensions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to experience significant differences with the royal family, causing ongoing distress on both sides, according to an expert.
Recently, the Sussexes appeared on CBS Sunday Morning to discuss their new initiative aimed at helping parents whose children have been affected by online harm. This marked their first joint interview since their headline-making conversation with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, where they openly discussed their challenges within the royal family after Meghan's entrance into the institution. Their latest interview focused on their advocacy efforts rather than revisiting past grievances.
Royal expert and historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop noted that while the Sussexes avoided rehashing old disputes with the Royal Family, the tension was palpable. She told the Mirror, "Despite all their well-intentioned good works and conciliatory talk in other fields, the chasm between the Sussexes and the British Royals remains as great as ever. Until there is genuine open contact between the House of Windsor and the Sussexes, Harry and Meghan’s pain thesis will continue to wound, undermining credibility on both sides."
Dunlop highlighted Meghan's statement that if sharing her experiences helps others, "then that’s worth it. I’ll take a hit for that." She added, "In the style of their trip to Nigeria, soon Harry and Meghan will take off for Colombia, all in the name of service. And rather than being a service that complements the philanthropic brand the British royal family established, it will be in opposition to it. If only both parties could remember they are stronger together. That doesn't mean a reunited Harry and Meghan inside the royal fold, but public."
During the interview, Meghan again opened up about her past suicidal thoughts, which she initially discussed in the Oprah interview, stating, "I just didn’t want to be alive anymore." In the recent conversation, she said she "hasn't really scratched the surface" of discussing her experience.
Dunlop observed that CBS anchor Jane Pauley encouraged the couple to link their personal pain to their philanthropic efforts. Pauley asked Meghan about her suicidal thoughts, prompting an unexpected and uncomfortable moment for Meghan, who reached for Harry's support. Meghan acknowledged a connection between her experience and the families who have lost a child to suicide.
Meghan emphasized the need to be "really open about it," admitting that she "hadn't really scratched the surface" of her own pain. Dunlop remarked, "The extremity of Meghan’s dark thoughts when working as a British princess. Breakdown what Meghan said and her healing journey (one she believes is so important), remains incomplete. Clearly, a session on Oprah was insufficient when it came to being 'really open' about her suicidal plight inside the Royal Family."
